Glances
by MonPetitLoupDeMort
Summary: Maybe if I just share this one moment with you, it’ll be enough. As long as these moments keep coming, I can stay content. I can wait. This is love. A twoshot.
1. Tolbi

xxxxxxx

Ivan's POV

Sitting on the edge of the fountain in Tolbi, I stare at my feet, casually tossing coins into the water without care to take any earnings from the serpent's mouth. Isaac is still recovering, and I used worry because I thought he should be up by now. Our fearless leader rarely shows weakness like this. And Mia has to be dragged away most afternoons. She seems convinced that she's the only one who can heal him. I'm convinced that he just needs sleep.

I wonder what he dreams about. I could… But that would be disrespectful. After all we've been through together. After I already broke my promise not to Mind Read Isaac and Garet again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her. Mia has been cheering up a little now that Isaac seems near waking. He even mutters in his sleep, more than you can say for him most of the time. She's buying herbs and seems to have taken a fancy to a new dress. She tries it on and swirls around laughing with joy. She winks as she catches a glimpse of me watching her. A charming sight. The shopkeeper, however, is not charmed, and while Mia is preoccupied with the dress he sneakily raises the price. He guessed, correctly, that she is now quite attached to it and would pay any price for it. Unluckily for him, she doesn't have enough money on her for the raised the raised price. By now the scene is taking up almost the whole of my attention.

She leaves to go back to Babi's Palace for more, and asks him to hold the dress until she gets back. He must have dutifully agreed, because he places it under the counter, out of sight. Of course, as soon as she is out of sight, he pulls it back out and puts it back prominently on display.

With a small sigh, I stand up.

xxxxxxx

Mia's POV

I'm so excited! A new dress is not something one goes after often, but this one… Oh, it's just magnificent. Lovely. Fabric so soft in the lightest sky blue imaginable, with creamy white cloud puffs on the body and one strand of clouds winding down the right arm. I just have to get it.

Well, I'm in such a good mood today because we are taking a break from the rigors of saving the world, and each other. I mean, we're staying at a palace for crying out loud! Isaac will wake up soon, so no more worries there.

Well, ok, maybe a little bit still.

When I hurry back from the palace, I pass Garet cooking in the kitchen. They didn't want to accept him at first, afraid he would eat the food instead of cook it, but it was an unjustified fear. He's a great chef, and people have requested his cooking while we were here. It's always nice to have a good cook on long journeys. He seems to be making some sort of cake for desert tonight, and call me prejudiced, but I just know it will be fantastic. I can't wait.

Walking past the fountain Ivan was sitting by when I left, I note with some disappointment that he isn't there anymore. He must have left sometime after I did. I had hoped he could see me in my dress again. Silly whim of mine. He must have better things to do.

It's hard to keep from squealing with excitement as I arrive at the booth. I know that there are other things I should really spend my money on. But I just need this now. Perfection, plain and simple.

The excitement quickly turns to confusion, then sadness. The dress has been stolen! The nice shopkeeper told me that he had it right under the counter and had just went outside for a moment to tend some business. When he got back, the door was ajar and the dress was missing. He says it must have been some miscreant child he knows from around town, and the person always gets guilty and returns the merchandise. Apparently this has happened before.

Strange that the shopkeeper didn't lock the door… And that he doesn't look angry now… And his purse seems a little fatter than when I left…

No.

I will not go around blatantly accusing people for their misfortune. I'm sure he's just a nice man that got taken advantage of, even if his story sounds a little… Funny.

Well, all that's left now is to go back to the palace and hope that the dress gets returned before we have to leave. I'm all depressed now. Everything is just a little bit better when you're wearing something cute. And I was so close to having a perfect day.

The palace seems drab and bleak when I return, not bothering to go to my room and change for dinner. What's the point? I've not got anything much better to wear.

Well, dinner went by as a blur. I think it tasted wonderful, but I wasn't paying much attention. Everyone found a moment or two to ask me what was wrong. Except Ivan. He just winked conspiratorially at me and went to bed early. Not that I said anything about today to anyone. They'd think it silly, me getting so worked up over a dress. They're great people, but they're still guys. Not that there's anything they or I could do now anyway.

Time to go to bed. I've been avoiding my room today. Looking around at my ordinary dresser, ordinary rugs, ordinary blankets, I remember why. There's nothing special here. Nothing extraordinary. Just plain old ordinary tapestries, clothes, bed, dress on bed, curtains…

Dress on bed? That wasn't there when I left… It couldn't be… No chance…

I take a step closer, then a few more.

It is.

It's _the_ dress.

The dress from the market stall today. On my bed. In my room.

There's a note resting on top of the dress. The dress has been carefully handled and folded with all attention to minor details, without losing sight of the larger ascetic appeal of the overall layout. Not a speck of dust or misplaced crease mars the delicately perfect presentation. The meticulously crafted handwriting on the creamy white paper is soft and curly, almost giving the impression of wisps of smoke on the wind.

It read:

_Sorry if I worried you. I couldn't bear to see him sell this to anyone but you. You looked so perfect and joyful in this, that I just had to buy it for you when he tried to sell it to someone else. You look perfect anyway, and this simply compliments that natural beauty of yours. I hope this finds you happy and well.  
Ever Yours,_

_-Ivan_

Mia cried soft tears of joy as she gently lifted the dress into her dresser so she could wear it tomorrow and tucked away the note for safekeeping. She felt happy, content, for the first time in a long while. For one night anyway, this saving the world business could be put to rest, and Mia could just be a regular girl with a pretty dress and good friends to watch her back.

She fell asleep happy with the memory of her friends clear in her mind. Friends who always came through when she needed them. Even if it wasn't life or death.

Even if she only needed a glance or a wink or a smile or a silly present.

She dreamt joyful, peaceful dreams that night.

xxxxxxx

-Kit


	2. Contigo

xxxxxxx

Mia's POV

We're waiting again, this time in Contigo.

Isaac's giving everyone the silent treatment as he broods over Felix and Jenna. Especially Jenna.

Garet has gone to help the villagers work on the wings. After he got bored out of his mind doing nothing forever, that is. He seems pessimistic on the chances of Felix ever coming to see us.

Ivan, well, he's disappeared again. Probably off in the Anemos Sanctum, where he discovered that he was given away as a child. Exploring and re-exploring every nook and cranny, even though he's been over the whole place a million times before.

And I suppose that's why I'm here at the Sanctum. Looking for him. He can't spend our whole mini-vacation moping over some lost mother he never knew.

I can hear him in there, but I can't get to him. He's our only Jupiter adept. The only one who can cast the reveal necessary to get inside to the dead end of the passage, offering the tantalizing glimpse at the heart of the sanctum. I want to run to him, but can't. The cold, hard layers of stone between us are unheeding to my silent pleas, unyielding to my probing touch.

He moves off, deeper into the silent sanctuary. I am about to leave, go back and wait the day out for his return, when there is a flash of light and the door stands open before me.

I turn back to see what has happened, and catch a glimpse of fleeting lavender-gray hair and a peaceful, if secretive, smile. I hurry in before the psynergy fades away.

Inside, I have second thoughts. He did come here to be alone. But it's too late now, there's no way out without his powers.

I move down the passage, again awed at the marks of an ancient civilization long declined. He comes into sight, and I see him sitting on a block, and I think he's crying. More like muffled sobs into his cloak, but the effect is heart wrenching.

I gently set my arm around his shoulder as I move to sit beside him, and he doesn't bother to look up. He knows. He waits until the sobs are done before he looks me in the eye.

xxxxxxx

Ivan's POV

She's here.

I hoped she would come. That she would care enough to find a way past the walls separating us.

I still can't accept that she might like me back, might love me back. Even hearing the words seems like it wouldn't make me believe.

She's patient enough to wait for my tears to subside. She knows when to push and when to hold. She knows me.

I owe her some sort of explanation for my behavior, the seclusion and depression of the past few days. If she doesn't know already.

I look at her, stare deep into those compassionate eyes. Even in her eyes is the solace and comfort that is her being. Such things that words are too shallow to near accurately express.

I close my eyes and fall into the half embrace offered, holding to her as thought to the last solid thing left in this world.

"She… She couldn't even give me away… I was so worthless that she had to offer money for Hammet to take me… My mother had to bribe him with gold to take care of me… To raise me…" I mange to choke out in a faint voice. Sobs threaten to overcome me, and I bury my face in her hair to hide them.

She understands. She understands, and still she came. Still she stays. Still she cares.

"Shhhh…" She murmurs soothing words to me, nothing solid, but the sound of her voice calms me.

I release my grip and push myself back until I am looking at her face again. She seems to sense that I am ready to listen.

"You aren't worthless. Not to me, and not to the world. Not to your mother who was seeking a better life for you elsewhere. Not to Hammet or Lady Layana who raised you and loved you. Especially not to me. I love you, Ivan. More than anything on this world." She speaks the words to me, and I can tell that these aren't just empty nothings. She means it.

No matter how much I think it or she thinks it, nothing quite prepares you to hear those few words spoken aloud. I break into tears again, this time tears of overwhelming joy. I hug her and whisper back in her ear.

"I love you, Mia. With my whole heart and soul, forever."

xxxxxxx

We venture forth into the sunlight, hand in hand. Nothing can stand in our way now.

We may not be able to have quite a perfect, or even open, relationship right now, but these moments keep us going.

When the world is safe, and we can rest, then we can live only for each other, treasuring each other more than all the jewels in the world. Waking each day to the other's smiling face.

Until then, we can wait.

Every time I glance at you, and you glance at me, when our eyes meet silently, I will know that you love me and I love you.

And that is enough for now.

I will wait forever for the day we can speak those few, simple words to each other in front of the whole world.

I love you.

xxxxxxx

-Kit


End file.
